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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · coach · stick · bay · spring · race · charge · branch

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. spring — of water
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. spring — a coil
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — the arms race
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spring — the season
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. charge — in control
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. branch — a division
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com